Elder brother's garrison

"Hmm...hmm?" Yubari looked at it for a while, raised an eyebrow, and tilted her head to look at Lexington. "Lexington, what do you think?"

“Me? As for me… I’ve seen Shiro’s carrier-based aircraft before, and the conclusion is that although the color has changed, it’s still a B-25 bomber.” Lexington said to Yubari, clutching his chest.

“Hmm…hmm,” Yubari said. “It really does sound like Lexington’s answer.”

"Hmm? Is there something wrong with my judgment?" Lexington asked curiously.

"No, no, Lexington, your answer is perfectly correct." Yubari smiled and returned Shiro's carrier-based aircraft to her. "After all, Lexington, you are a veteran carrier ship girl, so you must know a lot about the types of carrier-based aircraft. Therefore, your judgment is correct."

"What you just said, Yuzuriha, sounds just like my answer..."

"That's what I'm going to say next. After all, I'm not an aircraft carrier girl; I'm just someone who studies ship equipment. So, my perspective on observing ship equipment is a little different from yours, Lexington's," Yubari said, looking at the carrier-based aircraft in Shiro's hands.

"Different angles?"

“Hmm.” Yubari crossed his arms and nodded to Shiro. “Admiral, this carrier-based aircraft… while it does resemble a B-25 bomber, it’s not actually the B-25 bomber that was installed before.”

"Huh?" Shiro, who had been silently waiting for Yubari to speak, was taken aback. "It's not a B-25 bomber anymore?"

"Let me just briefly explain my results." Yubari pointed to the carrier-based aircraft in Shiro's hand. "The metallic patterns on this carrier-based aircraft are exactly the same as the metallic patterns on the Admiral's ship equipment."

What does "same" mean?

"Simply put, the B-25 in your hands, Admiral, isn't a carrier-based aircraft you replicated from the prototype. It's a carrier-based aircraft that naturally arose from your own ship's equipment. But logically, when there's a prototype in the hangar, the carrier-based aircraft should prioritize the prototype." Yubari shrugged at Shiro. "So, the conclusion is, Admiral, you'd better check your hangar. It seems you... have completely consumed all four prototype B-25 carrier-based aircraft that you previously put into your ship's equipment."

"Huh???" Xiaobai was startled. She quickly handed the Roma in her arms to Veneto beside her. Then, without even having time to brush the dust off her clothes, she ran to her ship's hangar, opened the hangar door, and began searching for the four B-25 prototypes that she had put in earlier.

really.

Just as Yubari said.

This time, when Xiaobai opened his hangar, the B-25 prototype that had been safely stored inside had completely disappeared, replaced by a warehouse full of blue B-25 carrier-based aircraft.

—Did it eat its own B-25 carrier-based aircraft?

Xiao Bai stared blankly, looking utterly bewildered.

"Really...it's all gone..." Shiro murmured, looking at Yubari.

"As expected..." Yubari gave a wry smile.

"Why is this happening?" Xiaobai asked, completely bewildered.

"Hmm... Admiral, didn't you mention before that you have a habit of consuming Deep Sea Dean Metal to enhance your strength?" Yubari asked Shiro after thinking for a while, rubbing her forehead.

"...Uh, yes, there is..."

“Normally, neither ship girls nor deep-sea amphibious ships can acquire the power of others so simply and crudely by eating.” Yubari said to Shiro. “After all, with such a large number of deep-sea amphibious ships, with layers of food chains stacked up, wouldn’t a deep-sea dean be created in just a few days?”

"Then what I say..."

"Admiral, you're quite the extraordinary individual..." Yubari chuckled twice. "Following this line of reasoning, the ability to assimilate advanced carrier-based aircraft and transform them into one's own natural carrier-based aircraft is certainly possible. You're truly something, Admiral!"

"..." Xiaobai stared blankly at the blue carrier-based aircraft in his hands, "But... but what does this have to do with the fact that I suddenly know how to control carrier-based aircraft?"

"As the saying goes, food is the most important thing for the people. You know how to write the character for 'rice,' right? It's made up of the 'food' radical and the 'rebel' radical." Yubari gestured as he spoke. "If your subordinates don't have enough to eat, they will rebel. Conversely, if you feed your men well, they will work even harder."

"Uh... what does that mean?"

"What Yubari means is that after your carrier-based aircraft had a good meal of the B-25 prototype, Shiro naturally became more obedient." Lexington understood Yubari's words and pointed to Shiro to explain.

"……"noob.

This explanation is quite refreshing and unconventional.

Xiao Bai looked down at the blue carrier-based aircraft in his palm, his feelings complicated.

of course.

Having unlocked new power and become stronger is certainly not a bad thing; in principle, one should be happy.

But at this moment, Xiaobai suddenly felt a mix of joy and sorrow.

—What am I going to do? I just promised Bumblebee I'd treat her B25 well…

What if Bumblebee suddenly has nothing better to do after a while and comes to ask how her B25 is doing with Xiaobai? How should Xiaobai answer then?

—Your B-25 tastes great; my shipboard equipment and carrier-based aircraft all love it?

Xiaobai doesn't even need to use his imagination to figure out how Bumblebee would react after finding out about this.

Xiao Bai was so anxious that sweat was pouring from the tip of his nose.

Heaven knows that my ship's equipment can not only consume deep-sea dean metal, but it also doesn't spare the ship girls' carrier-based aircraft.

At least when it was eating the Deep Sea Dean's metal, it was still under its own control. But when it swallowed a carrier-based aircraft, it was truly like throwing a meat bun to a dog—gone and never to return.

Xiaobai's heart is really aching.

the most important.

the most important point is.

At this moment, Xiaobai doesn't even know what B25 tastes like.

Chapter 1259 The Inspiration for Roman Skills

"Um... Yubari, could I ask you for a favor...?"

Surrounded by the ship girls, Xiaobai, after careful consideration, awkwardly opened her mouth and pleaded softly to them, "Um, anyway, could this matter... be kept a secret from Hornet...?"

"Bumblebee? Ah, bumblebee..."

Yubari paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly. "That's true. If the Bumblebee finds out that you ate their B25, there might be some terrible consequences."

"……"noob.

Xiao Bai lowered his head, looking ashamed.

"Alright, Yubari." Lexington patted Yubari on the shoulder, then looked up, exchanged glances with the ship girls around her, and looked at Shiro. "We'll do our best to keep this a secret for you, Shiro. Don't worry."

"Thanks……"

Xiao Bai felt a little relieved, but her mood wasn't exactly cheerful.

"Admiral, isn't it something to celebrate that you've started using a brand new attack method? The current situation is just a series of coincidences. Since what's done is done, instead of dwelling on the past, let's focus on what's to come," Missouri said, trying to comfort Xiaobai.

"Thank you..." Xiaobai patted her chest and smiled at the ship girls.

Speaking of what happened next...

What's presented to Xiaobai is naturally the skills of Rome.

When Xiaobai went to check the hangar, he returned Roma to Veneto. At that moment, Veneto was squatting on the ground, letting Roma rest on his chest, quietly watching everyone.

"Ah, Veneto." Little White bowed apologetically to Veneto, "I'm sorry, this is supposed to be the time to activate Rome's skill..."

“The admiral’s affairs are more important.” Veneto shook his head at Xiaobai.

"..." Xiaobai scratched his cheek, looking at Roma who was unconscious in Veneto's arms, "Um, anyway, did I go a little too far just now..."

Veneto patted Roma's head.

"The ship girl exercises are supposed to be real combat, so it would be bad if the admiral held back."

"Oh, I see." Xiaobai nodded, looking at Veneto curiously. "After this exercise with Roma, did Roma catch any signs of the skill?"

“Rome…” Veneto paused, her hand stroking Rome’s head. She hesitated for a moment, then looked down at Rome, who was covered in charred soot. “Hmm…”

Veneto thought for a long time, and finally slowly shook his head.

"Personally, I don't think this battle with the admiral will be of much use to Rome in activating its skills."

"Huh?" Xiaobai was taken aback. "No, is that not allowed?"

“Yes, that’s right,” Veneto said. “Of course, I’m not denying the experience she gained from this exercise with the Admiral. In fact, occasionally fighting against an air superiority warship as imposing as yours is very beneficial to Rome’s growth. However, the initial glimmer of skill that Rome sensed only appeared after the first exercise with you, Admiral. She felt genuinely helpless in the face of your impenetrable defense. The reason we want to have a second exercise with you is to use the tension of actual combat to help Rome seize that fleeting feeling again from your defense, thereby activating the skill.”

As Veneto explained this, a rare, subtle expression crossed his face.

“But…we had no idea that Admiral, your strength had improved so much in less than an hour…” Veneto covered his face. “That crushing bombardment that gave Rome no chance was a little different from what we expected in the exercise. So, I personally think that Rome probably won’t be able to learn anything about the feel for the skills from it…”

“…Uh.” Xiaobai stood there, stunned, looking awkwardly at Veneto.

Eh?

Did I... do something wrong?

Little White stared blankly at Roma lying in Veneto's arms. She quickly gestured with her hands and opened her mouth towards Veneto.

"Yes, I'm sorry... I... I didn't think of that..."

"This isn't the Admiral's fault; it's my fault for telling the Admiral from the beginning that I'd used every means possible." Veneto covered his head and said to Xiaobai with a hint of apology, "The Admiral was just following my advice."

"Um, Veneto, how about this? After Roma wakes up, we can give her a quick-repair device, and then I can practice with her again without using B25, okay?" Xiaobai said nervously. "Well, this matter concerns Roma's skills... I still want to do my part for Roma..."

"As for this matter, we'll have to wait until Roma regains her sense of the skill. If she does, then I'll trouble you, Admiral, to practice with Roma again..." Even Veneto had a hint of apology on his face at this moment. "I'm very sorry for taking up so much of your time, Admiral."

"It's okay, it's really okay!" Xiaobai waved her hand, laughing it off. "Well, I didn't understand what you meant at first, so I'm partly to blame..."

Xiaobai hasn't even spoken yet.

Just now.

Rome, lying in Veneto's arms, twitched his eyebrows and let out a murmur from his nose.

"Rome?" Veneto looked down at Rome in his arms. "Rome, is it awake?"

“…Hmm…” Rome’s mouth moved, “Sister…”

"It's good that you're awake. Do you still feel the skill?"

"...Yes, I have it..."

"What's up?"

"I...I think I've activated a skill..." Roma mumbled in a barely audible voice, still half-asleep.

"It's activated?" Xiaobai and Veneto asked in unison.

"It's... it's activated..." Roma mumbled, his hand gently touching Veneto's chest. A sly smile crept across his face, which was charred black from the bombardment by Whitebeard. "I think I can feel it... I just suddenly felt it... a really strong defense..."

Rome said.

Still half-asleep, he was patting Veneto's chest repeatedly with his palm.

"……"noob.

"..." Yubari.

"..." Missouri.

"..." Iowa.

“…Oh dear.” Lexington touched her lips, staring at Veneto’s chest, which was being pounded by Roma. “It seems… the source of Roma’s skill isn’t actually Little White’s ship equipment…”

The scene was chaotic for a moment.

It got quiet.

Chapter 1260 Science-minded Ship Girls and Drama Queen Ship Girls

The skills of ship girls are magical powers that can only be unlocked under certain circumstances after rigorous training, accumulating sufficient combat experience and proficiency, and building a solid foundation.

There are actually many opportunities for ship girls to activate their skills.

Some ship girls unlock their skills when faced with an absolute predicament while fighting powerful enemies. Others unlock their skills when they see the first ray of sunlight in the morning, or even just a joke they make with a friend. Some exceptionally talented ship girls, like Wisconsin, don't even need to learn skills; they are something they are born with.

The reason for all this is to say that the opportunity for ship girls to master skills is not necessarily a serious occasion. The activation of skills is so mysterious that even everyday trivial matters in life can become one of the opportunities for a well-trained and highly skilled ship girl to activate her skills.

In other words...

Although at first, Veneto, Iniesta, and even Roma themselves believed that the trigger for Roma to activate their skills was feeling Iniesta's iron-arm defense.

But actually.

Rome seemed to have far more opportunities to develop skills than this childish game.

On the training ground of the newbie naval base.

The ship girls silently watched Veneto, who had her head hanging low, and watched as the dazed Roma patted Veneto's chest while mumbling things like "I activated my skill," "Such a strong defense," "I can feel it again," and "Bang bang bang."

—It is really necessary to explain this.

Although Veneto appears slightly younger than her battleship status due to personal reasons, and her figure is also slightly slimmer and more refined, it is difficult to see much curve in Veneto's chest.

but.

Veneto was, after all, a delicate and lovely girl; it was impossible for her to be so hopelessly flat and rigid.